Portable equipment items pose a security problem for homes, businesses, schools, government offices and other institutions. Theft is a constant problem because of the ease with which such equipment is picked up and moved. Existing security devices for attaching portable equipment to desks and table surfaces are complex and cumbersome.
The prior art for devices to secure portable equipment is typified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,036 to Stanley W. Cebuhar issued May 10, 1977 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,637 to A. Milton Finkel and Stephan F. Bunka issued Apr. 26, 1988. Both provide an adhesive base for mounting the security device to a desk or other mounting surface. However, these patents disclose devices which are sized to cover the entire underside of equipment items.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,891 to Dionne discloses a device for preventing unauthorized removal of portable objects. In this patent, the device comprises a pair of members, each formed with an attachment base. On each attachment base is an adhesive securing surface. One adhesive securing surface is designed to attach to the portable object with the other adhesive securing surface designed to attach to a mounting surface. Each member includes connecting arms which are coupled together with tamperproof fastening means. Due to the nature of the adhesive, a large force must be utilized in order to remove the portable object.
An improvement over the device disclosed in the Dionne patent is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this security device, L-shaped members 1 and 3 are used for securing the portable object. The L-shaped members 1 and 3 are held together with tamperproof fasteners 5. Each of the L-shaped members 1 and 3 include a strip of double side tape, preferably an acrylic tape for attachment to the portable object and a mounting surface, respectively.
With particular reference to FIG. 2, the L-shaped member 1 has through holes 9 with the L-shaped member 3 having threaded bores 11 therein. The fasteners 5 are then inserted through the through holes 9 to thread into the bores 11 to secure the members together. The threaded bores 11 may be formed by threading the member itself or by inserting threaded metal inserts into the appropriate openings, the inserts secured therein by conventional means.
One of the problems with these types of security devices is the inability to accommodate uneven mounting surfaces or surfaces having a coating or other material thereon which may compromise the adhesive qualities of the adhesive strip.
In addition, since two or more of these security devices are used to secure a portable object, it is time consuming for an authorized individual to remove the tamperproof fasteners for each device prior to portable object movement. These prior art devices also are not conducive to portable objects to be attached to mounting surfaces which may be inclined.
In view of the disadvantages of the prior art discussed above, a need has developed to provide improved security devices to accommodate different types of mounting surfaces and/or portable equipment. Responsive to this need, the present invention provides improved security devices which facilitate authorized portable object removal and use where the mounting surfaces may be uneven or have substances thereon which interfere with the adhesion provided by a security device.